Formiga

Miraildes Maciel Mota (born 3 March 1978), commonly known as Formiga (ant), is a Brazilian footballer who last played as a midfielder for São Paulo FC.

She previously played for professional clubs in Sweden, the United States and France.

Formiga holds many international records as a member of the Brazil national team, being the only player present in all Olympic Games tournaments of women's football since the first edition at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and a record for appearing at seven different FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments.

Formiga was a member of the Brazil national team for 26 years (the longest in football history) and is the most capped football player in the history of the Brazil national teams (men's or women's), gaining her 234th and final cap in a 6–1 win over India at the 2021 International Women's Football Tournament of Manaus.

She is the only football player in history (men's or women's) to play in seven World Cups and seven Olympic Games.

Born in Salvador, Formiga was born during a period when it had become illegal for women to play football in Brazil.

The family moved to nearby Camaçari when she was nine years old.

Formiga began playing football at the age of 12, although she was sometimes beaten up by her brothers who did not want her to join in.

She was supported by her mother, Dona Celeste, who took her to play futsal for the nearby Euroexport club.

Formiga performed well at Euroexport and had a good relationship with the coach Dilma Mendes.

She came to the notice of national team selectors while at Euroexport, but when national team players were encouraged to move to São Paulo-based clubs in preparation for the 1996 Olympics, coach Mendes helped her to sign for Saad.

In 1997 Formiga joined newly-formed São Paulo FC where she won state and national titles.

São Paulo FC closed their women's section in 2000 and Formiga did not play in the controversial 2001 Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino.

She was among six Brazilian players reported to have engaged a FIFA-licensed agent with a view to joining the nascent Women's United Soccer Association in the United States.

However she was not included in the 2000 WUSA Foreign Player Allocation and instead played the 2001 season with Santa Isabel of Ubá, Minas Gerais.

She joined a competitive team assembled under Formiga's former Saad and national team coach Dema, which won the 2001 Campeonato Brasileiro as hosts.

In 2002 Formiga spent a brief period with Santos, joining alongside Valeria and playing under future national team coach Kleiton Lima.

She was restricted to local friendly appearances as the São Paulo state and national competitions had collapsed.

Also in 2002, Formiga was part of Santa Cruz's Minas Gerais state championship-winning team.

Immediately after playing at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Formiga joined the Swedish Damallsvenskan as a member of Malmö FF Dam.

She had been playing indoor football for the previous two years.

Formiga made a favourable impression in her first two months with the club, who were pleased when she agreed to extend her contract in December 2004.

Private sponsors agreed to cover her substantial 75,000kr salary for the first half of the 2005 season.

She helped Malmö finish second in 2005, but the club could not afford to extend her contract again, describing her as "an expensive solution".

With the New Jersey Wildcats in the 2006 USL W-League season, Formiga was deployed as a forward, scoring 13 goals in 12 games.

At the inaugural 2007 edition of the Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino, Formiga helped Saad (playing under the banner of Mato Grosso do Sul) beat Botucatu on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the final at Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília.

She left the field in an ambulance before the shootout having fallen ill, but later returned to join in the celebrations.

She returned to the USL W-League in 2007 with Jersey Sky Blue, where she was less prolific in front of goal: scoring once in six appearances but serving five assists.

In 2008, she played for Botucatu and scored in the second leg of their Campeonato Paulista final victory over Saad.

Formiga was the first overall pick for the newly inaugurated Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league in the United States in the 2008 WPS International Draft, selected by FC Gold Pride of Santa Clara, California.

She joined a Brazilian enclave at the club, alongside teammates Érika and Adriane, as well as assistant coach Sissi (who made a playing comeback in the second half of the season).

Formiga enjoyed playing for Botucatu and rejoined the team for their 2009 Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino campaign.

She missed a late penalty kick in the 3–0 final defeat by Santos.

Formiga started 15 of her 16 games for Gold Pride, who finished seventh of seven teams in their inaugural season in 2009.

She was a late selection for the 2009 WPS All-Star Game as a replacement for five English and French players who were absent at UEFA Women's Euro 2009, but was herself ruled out with a knee sprain.

The following season, Formiga played for Chicago Red Stars, alongside compatriot Cristiane.

In the 2010 Chicago Red Stars season the club finished sixth of seven teams, then withdrew from the WPS at the end of the campaign.

In 2011, Formiga returned to her home country to play for São José.

She helped her new club win the 2011 edition of the Copa Libertadores as tournament hosts, scoring in the 2–1 semi-final win over holders Santos.

The following year she helped São José win the 2012 Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino and Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Feminino, beating Centro Olímpico in both finals.